Students Seek Justice For Kalvin Michael Smith

By Sarah Vick,

Members of the Winston-Salem community will congregate to march for justice for Kalvin Michael Smith on 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18. at the Reaves Student Activity Center at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU).

WSSU will also host a rally dubbed “A Call for Justice” at 7 pm at the Anderson Center on campus. The event will feature student speakers that will review the Silk Plant Forest case history, a call for action, social media connections, a video of Kalvin Michael Smith, and music and poetry groups from each.

Kalvin Michael Smith was convicted of violently assaulting Silk plant forest manager Jill Marker in 1995. Marker struggles with severe brain damage as a result of her assault and now requires round-the-clock care. (You can read more HERE.)

After compelling evidence that Smith was wrongfully convicted, local college students are working together to get the attention of North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper to have the case revisited.

Reverend Kelly Carpenter speaks to students about putting pressure on the attorney general. His goal is to make revisiting Smith’s case politically expedient for Roy Cooper, especially relevant during an election year. “Who could fix it now?” asks Kelly. “Roy Cooper. He’s done everything he can to preserve the conviction.”

Teach-ins about the Kalvin Michael Smith case were held at Salem College, Winston-Salem State University and Wake Forest University. Students are also taking pictures with personal messages at each teach-in, utilizing the hashtag #FreeKalvinNow to raise awareness on various social media platforms.